Friday, October 17, 2008

Golisano's Jerry McGuire Moment

As the NY Times' City Room blog is reporting, billionaire Tom Golisano may be about to see the mayor, and raise him a few million: "With his deep pockets, broad popularity and finely tuned political operation, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg once hoped that by the end of the week, he would be signing a City Council-approved bill allowing him to run for a third term. Not so fast, says a fellow billionaire turned politico. Tom Golisano, the wealthy Rochester businessman and philanthropist, will campaign against Mr. Bloomberg’s bid for a third term in office, Mr. Golisano’s advisers said on Thursday, a move certain to upend the unfolding battle over extending New York City’s two-term limit."

Or, as Marvin Gaye might have warbled: "I've been really tryin', baby, Tryin' to hold back this feelin' for so long, And if you feel like I feel, baby, Then come on, oh, come on, Whoo, let's get it on, Ah, babe, let's get it on." And the Golisano cash might have the impact of emboldening opponents who have, heretofore, been intimidated by the mayor's fat wallet: "Aides to Mr. Golisano suggested that his latest political foray would not lack for financing, either. “I think you’ll see him participating in a substantial way,” said Steve Pigeon, who is Mr. Golisano’s top political adviser and runs Responsible New York."

The key here is to prolong the debate so that the Golisano money can fund the kind of real grass roots effort that will make extension supporting council members the cynosure of public ire. As the NY Daily News points out: "The Rochester magnate's entry into the city debate was welcome news to opponents of Bloomberg's plan, who say extending term limits should be put to voters in a referendum, since the existing two-term limit was twice approved by voters in the 1990s. "It's a very important moment, because he's someone who's really been a strong voice for reform and is unafraid to act and will make sure that our message gets out," said Councilman Bill DeBlasio (D-Brooklyn). "He wants to get the message out to the people."

And Golisano, unlike the self serving mayor, rightly sees term limits as an integral part of any government reform agenda: "Aides to Mr. Golisano suggested that his latest political foray would not lack for financing, either. “I think you’ll see him participating in a substantial way,” said Steve Pigeon, who is Mr. Golisano’s top political adviser and runs Responsible New York."